[Magdalen] Heather Cook

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

I'm sure a lot of folks will agree with you, Ann.  I've seen some folks
ruined due to their addiction to ethanol.  In the Church it was subtle but
enormously devastating nevertheless.  The first minister I recall was an
alcoholic.  He was a proponent of AA, and managed to keep going and doing
the job well, despite some relapses. I didn't have any knowledge of that,
but my Dad spoke about it; he admired the fact that the man "fell off the
wagon," as Dad put it, and got right back on. It's a testimony to a
father's success as a parent when his son follows him into the same field.
This man's son also became an Episcopal minister. I noticed that he was
involved in Alcoholic counseling activities, and I saw a notice of his
retirement just a few years ago.

Where I really saw the impact was in the military, however.  I joined the
reserves a few years before they changed Army policy to eliminate ethanol
at all official functions.  We used to have an after action party at the
reserve center, and the XO was responsible for taking care of stocking and
tending the bar.  We had a huge metal box, like an over-sized footlocker,
in which our party supplies were locked up.
After  the ban, all that changed, and some guys who habitually were blotto
after every drill gradually wandered away.
I recall one time we were at SUNY, New Paltz for a language refresher
program, and were housed on campus (summertime). Two of the worst offenders
were in the middle of the street fighting, drunk as can be and still
stand.  The local police came.  The ranking officer took responsibility for
them, and there was talk about how these guys would have "some splaining to
do" when we got back to the center.  Nothing happened, but the ban came
through shortly thereafter.  Who knows? Maybe they helped start it.



James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Wed, Nov 4, 2015 at 3:10 PM, Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu> wrote:

> I was not at General Convention this year, but a resolution was passed for
> dramatic discussion/change on the issue of church-related alcohol
> consumption/promotion (not including sacramental, of course).  The
> (directed) table discussion at our diocesan convention last weekend
> regarding this topic was very interesting.  Having joined AA myself this
> summer, it was of more than passing interest.  I'm not sure the whole thing
> is much different from the denial related to racism in our culture.  I'm
> not saying the two are related in any way (though perhaps....?), but simply
> that the defensiveness and denial may be somewhat similar.  I think it's
> time to examine our cultural/denominational attitudes and behaviors
> regarding alcohol and drinking.  I'm not suggesting that we become a
> denomination of teetotalers, but perhaps more self-awareness, sensitivity,
> and compassion are in order
>
> Ann
>
> The Rev. Ann Markle
> Buffalo, NY
> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
> blog:  www.onewildandpreciouslife.typepad.com
>
> On Wed, Nov 4, 2015 at 12:32 PM, Georgia DuBose <gdubose at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Thank you, Renee. My friend Marie Winkler, an addictions counselor, says
> > that the most fatal addiction problem in our society is alcohol. And we
> > boost it all the time. A priest friend unfriended me for saying that a
> wine
> > meme sustains addictive behaviors. It does, by indicating that if some is
> > good, more is excellent. Bingo.
> >
> > Georgia+
> > party pooper
> >
> > On Sun, Nov 1, 2015 at 8:26 AM, flyingfish224--- via Magdalen <
> > magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > I find it fascinating that we are so concerned about the "Justice"
> > > delivered in the Heather Cook matter.
> > >
> > > The bigger question, IMNSHO, is what are we doing to change the culture
> > > where we laugh, with a wink and a tickle, at being known as
> > "Whiskypalians"?
> > >
> > > At our wine and cheese fundraisers, at our scotch tastings as an after
> > > dinner activity at a parish retreat (my parish), at excuses to use
> > > champagne for sacramental wine, at the sacred sherry after the 11:00
> > Sunday
> > > service.
> > >
> > > Yes, I am in recovery.  Yes, I am a party poop.  But addiction, and
> > > specifically alcoholism, is killing our brothers and sisters.  We
> cannot
> > > keep silent
> > >
> > > Renee
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>